


big fun

by rikubraveheart



Series: Slice of Clack Event [3]
Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Aerith is a menace, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Cloud in a dress, Drunken Confessions, Established Relationship, Halloween Costumes, Implied Aerith Gainsborough/Tifa Lockhart - Freeform, M/M, Slice of Clack, SoCPrint, and we love her for it, matching costumes, why isn't that a tag already
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-17
Updated: 2020-07-17
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:41:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,362
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25341883
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rikubraveheart/pseuds/rikubraveheart
Summary: Slice of Clack, Week 3: Clichés.And that’s how they find themselves on the day of the party in Aerith and Tifa’s house, being shown none other than Corpse Bride matching costumes.“No,” he says. “No way.”Now he understands what Aerith’s wicked grin had meant.“Come on, Cloudy! It’ll be fun,” says Zack encouragingly, knowing fully well Cloud can never deny him anything.He deadpans. “Easy to say when you’re not gonna be the one stuck in a dress for the rest of the night.”Cloud and Zack attend Tifa and Aerith's Halloween party and Cloud is, once again, forced to wear a dress. That's just his life now. It's all Aerith's fault, really.
Relationships: Zack Fair/Cloud Strife
Series: Slice of Clack Event [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1797526
Comments: 14
Kudos: 57
Collections: Slice of Clack: July 2020





	big fun

**Author's Note:**

> Prompts chosen for this: matching outfits + drunken confessions
> 
> So, I wrote this in one sitting. It's not my best work but my beta liked it and said it's funny and I trust her.
> 
> (Also, not me making my fic titles musical references 9 out of 10 times)
> 
> My twitter: [@rikubraveheart](https://twitter.com/rikubraveheart)

In hindsight, Cloud should have known Aerith and Tifa were up to no good.

When they invited him and Zack to their Halloween costume party only two days from Halloween, he didn’t think anything of it. That’s just how Aerith is, after all. Spontaneous. Of course, he and Zack said they’d go.

The problem came when they told them they had no costumes to wear. At that point, the only costumes left in the stores were child-sized. 

“Don’t worry, we have something for you two!” said Aerith. “Just drop by a little bit before the party and we’ll get you two ready.”

_ That _ was suspicious, but before Cloud could say anything about it Zack had already accepted on their behalf. Aerith’s wicked grin at that moment sent a shiver down Cloud’s spine.

And that’s how they find themselves on the day of the party in Aerith and Tifa’s house, being shown none other than  _ Corpse Bride matching costumes. _

“No,” he says. “No way.”

Now he understands what Aerith’s wicked grin had meant.

“Come on, Cloudy! It’ll be fun,” says Zack encouragingly, knowing fully well Cloud can never deny him anything.

He deadpans. “Easy to say when you’re not gonna be the one stuck in a dress for the rest of the night.”

Because there’s no doubt the wedding dress is for him. Not only is the size a big giveaway, but Cloud knows that Aerith has been waiting for a chance to see him in a dress again ever since he had worn one after losing a bet to Biggs years ago.

(Because, really, how was he supposed to know Jessie could outdrink Barret when he’s three times her size.)

“Don’t be a sourpuss,” says Aerith, the evil grin from the other day returning to her face. “You’ll look great.”

One look at Tifa tells him that he has no choice in the matter, and so he surrenders to the two girls and lets them help him put the dress on while Zack goes dress up in his own costume. At that moment, Cloud would give anything to be able to switch places with him.

Getting into the dress is a hard task. The dress he had worn years back had been a lot bulkier, but this one had a  _ corset _ of all things. 

“Done!” exclaims Tifa once they manage to adjust the dress to fit his frame.

Cloud looks in the mirror and, okay, he admits he looks good in it. Not like he would ever say it out loud.

“If you’ll excuse me now I’m gonna go find Zack,” he says, trying to rush out of the room before they do anything else. 

“Ah-ah!” exclaims Aerith. “We’re not done yet.”

He turns around ready to ask what else is left and sees Tifa holding a bunch of makeup palettes.

“God, no.”

“God, yes!” says Tifa.

At this point, Cloud is aware that complaining will get him nowhere, so he simply surrenders to the two girls and lets them work their magic.

He looks in the mirror again after what must’ve been an entire hour to see his face perfectly emulating the features of the main character in the movie.

“So, what do you think?” asks Tifa, who has done most of the make-up work.

“You know, at first I wasn’t sure about this costume. But I now realize it’s perfect for me,” he says. “You know why?”

“Why?”

And, with his most serious expression, he answers, “I make the perfect corpse bride because I’m dead inside.”

Aerith laughs loudly while Tifa smacks him on the shoulder and exclaims, “Cloud!”

They force him into a wig next, but after that, he’s free to go and find Zack. The party has already started without them (Zack must’ve been receiving guests while they were busy with Cloud’s costume), which makes Cloud self-conscious of walking around in a dress.

Just because he’s aware he looks good in it doesn’t make it easier. He feels judged everywhere he goes, even though most people aren’t paying attention to him. 

There are people dancing and drinking everywhere, the kind of atmosphere Cloud isn’t a fan of but has gotten used to after years of hanging around Zack. He recognizes a lot of faces, like Jessie and Biggs having what looks like a drinking competition in the living room, but there’s also a bunch of people he doesn’t know.

He finally spots Zack in the distance talking to some of his friends. He approaches him from behind and taps his shoulder.

_ “Woah,”  _ he exclaims when he turns to look at him. He stays like that for a few seconds, not even blinking.

“I can’t believe they convinced you to wear that,” says Kunsel, which seems to snap Zack out of his trance. 

“Well, I’m glad they did,” he says, letting out a low whistle.

“They didn’t  _ convince  _ me. They  _ coerced _ me.”

This makes them laugh, and Cloud relaxes. Maybe it won’t be so bad, if the stares he keeps getting from Zack are anything to go by.

After that, everything goes smoothly. It doesn’t take long for Cloud to realize he’s going to have to be the designated driver of the pair, because he knows how Zack can get when he starts drinking with his friends (especially when Reno is present).

Also, he won’t stop looking at him. It makes Cloud feel giddy inside. Zack isn't subtle with his attention on Cloud, something that took a while to get used to after they started dating, but it never fails to make him feel nervous.

Soon enough, as he predicted, Zack gets absolutely  _ shitfaced _ . He isn’t an avid drinker, by all means, but when he drinks he does it  _ good. _

That’s how Cloud ends up dragging Zack outside the house to get him some air. 

“You look so good in that… Can’t stop looking at you,” says Zack.

Cloud snorts. “I know. I noticed your stares throughout the whole night.”

“Can’t help it,” he says. “I’ve wanted to see you in a dress ever since I heard about that bet you lost… I wish I had known you back then…”

This makes something click in Cloud’s head. Zack being unimpressed when he saw the costumes, him agreeing to Aerith and Tifa’s suggestion without talking about it with him first when he  _ knows _ Cloud isn’t the biggest fan of parties, the way he knew to receive the guests in Aerith and Tifa’s stead…

“Oh my  _ God, _ ” he says. “You planned this.”

Zack gives him a sheepish grin. “Sorry.”

Cloud sighs. If it had been anyone else, he would be mad. But he is physically incapable of getting mad at Zack for something like this. “You know, if you wanted to see me in a dress you just had to ask,” he confesses.

Zack’s eyes open Zacks eyes open wide almost to the size of plates while his grin broadens. “Is that so?”

The tone in which he says it makes Cloud blush, and he thinks it’s a good thing they’re having this conversation outside the party because he wouldn’t want anyone to overhear that conversation, even if they aren’t saying anything  _ too _ indecent. The connotations are still there.

They stay silent for a couple of minutes before Zack starts talking again. “You know, I thought you were the prettiest the first time I saw you.” Cloud knows it’s the alcohol prompting him to talk, but he isn’t saying nothing normal Zack wouldn’t say anyway. “Normally I wouldn’t have any trouble flirting with someone I’m attracted to, but you made me  _ so _ nervous. Still do, sometimes.”

Cloud smiles again. “For me, it was something like that too. I didn’t use to bother with romance and all that jazz, but you made me want to try,” he says. “And I’m glad I did.”

Zack looks at him with fondness in his eyes, and Cloud can feel the love from him. He kisses Zack on his cheek, something he normally hesitates to do in public, and they spend the rest of the party huddled up together on the house’s porch.

Yeah, Cloud is definitely glad he decided to try his hand at romance. 

**Author's Note:**

> Once again, here's my Twitter: [@rikubraveheart](https://twitter.com/rikubraveheart)
> 
> Thanks to [Yetu](https://twitter.com/RedBearUniverse) for beta reading this!


End file.
